Oil spills, obviously, are never good news for the ocean or its wildlife. Unfortunately, they happen… a little more frequently than they should. This weekend, a Chinese freighter carrying oil and coal crashed into the Australian Great Barrier Reef, otherwise known as “The King of Barrier Reefs.” As a result, the freighter spilled heavy fuel oil and coal directly into the ocean and reef. Although the flow of oil has since been stopped, rescuers surmise that moving the ship could cause even more oil to spill out.
Because coral reefs cover just about one percent of the world’s oceans, and are home to extremely unique biological diversity, their protection is paramount. The problem is that rising temperatures, rising ocean acidity and oil spills are grave to the health of coral reefs, and are threatening to destroy them. What should be done? Comments are welcome below.
[Via: Grist]
